Updates on safety works and access around 62 to 70 Victoria Street, Paignton.
On Sunday 24 May, people became worried about the condition of a privately owned building at 62 to 70 Victoria Street. Our engineers and building safety team went there straight away and found there was a serious danger to the public.
To keep people safe, we used our emergency powers to close part of Victoria Street and carefully started removing the most dangerous parts of the building.
The building had been getting worse over time. In late 2025, the owner’s engineer said there were serious problems with how strong it was and that it needed urgent repairs. Scaffolding was put up then to help keep people safe.
More recent, closer checks by our engineers showed the building had become even more damaged. They also found that the scaffolding was no longer strong enough to protect the public.
Because the building could collapse, we had to act quickly using emergency powers to remove the most unsafe parts.
Specialist contractors carried out emergency works. These included:
Since the end of May, we have been taking legal steps so we can fully take down the building.
On Thursday 25 June, a court gave us permission to do this. This means we now have the legal right to demolish the building.
The company Gilpin Demolition, who helped with the emergency work, will carry out the demolition.
We haven’t had to use these emergency powers for many years. This situation shows that we will take strong action if a building is dangerous and puts people at risk or disrupts the town centre.
Contractors, Gilpin Demolition, will be on site from Friday 10 July to prepare the area for the works. This first phase will involve bringing in welfare facilities, equipment and site security measures. Subject to final preparations, full demolition is scheduled to begin on Tuesday 14 July.
Every effort is being made to carry out the demolition as safely and efficiently as possible while minimising inconvenience to those living and working nearby.
The demolition will be a carefully controlled process. Working hours will be Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm, with any noisier activities restricted to between 9am and 5pm. To help reduce dust, a water mist system will be used throughout the works. The contractor will continue to monitor conditions closely and take appropriate measures to protect neighbouring properties and the surrounding area.
Paignton town centre is still open. Shops, cafes, and local services are easy to get to. We encourage everyone to keep visiting and supporting local businesses.
Victoria Street will stay closed to vehicles until the demolition work is finished.
People can still walk through to reach local shops, the train station, bus station, and the library.
Because a safety zone is needed in front of the building, the taxi rank at Paignton Railway Station is closed.
Taxis are still available on Torbay Road, and signs are in place to help people find them.
Bus services are unfortunately affected by the emergency closure of Victoria Street.
If you are travelling from the Torquay direction and your destination is Paignton town centre, you may be better getting off before Cecil Road/Victoria Park as the services 12 and 22 will divert via Colley End Road, Kings Ash Road, and Totnes Road. This is also the same diversion for the Service 24 from Foxhole
Other services are continuing to use Hyde Road, and diverting via Torbay Road, Sands Road, Whitstone Road and Dartmouth Road before returning to Paignton bus station.
Bus users should check with their bus company before travelling for the latest times and route information.
We are also working with our partners to see if there are safe and reliable alternative routes for buses. We will share more information as soon as we can.
Hyde Road car park remains open as normal.
However, please note that it will be closed between Monday 13 and Friday 24 July and reopen on Saturday 25 July. On-street parking along Hyde Road will not be affected by the temporary closure of the car park.
Find information on all parking locations in Paignton.
Clear signs are in place to help drivers find their way around.
If you are driving from Torquay to Paignton, you can still use Hyde Road car park as usual. When leaving, follow Hyde Road to Torbay Road, then turn left or right onto Garfield Road or Queens Road, or go straight onto Esplanade Road.
If you are travelling from Torquay towards Brixham, please use the Ring Road or the seafront roads and avoid Hyde Road.
If you are heading to Palace Avenue, Commercial Road, Dendy Road, or nearby areas, please use the seafront roads and reach Dartmouth Road via Sands Road. This also applies if you are using Great Western car park.
You cannot drive from Torbay Road or Station Square onto Hyde Road or Victoria Street.
Please follow all the signs in place.
There is no safe space for cyclists to ride through this area right now. Cyclists should get off and walk their bikes in the marked pedestrian areas or use a different route.
All businesses in the area remain open.
People can safely walk to the train station, bus station, local shops, and the library.
We have:
We know the situation is difficult for businesses. However, we are not legally responsible for compensating businesses for loss of trade caused by emergency safety measures or risks arising from a privately owned building.
Businesses seeking financial redress may wish to:
We will continue to promote the message that the town centre is open.
The cost of the emergency work and taking down the building will be paid by the building’s owners, so it will not cost local taxpayers any money.
Our priority is to safely take down the building and reopen the road. It will be decided what happens to the site in the future at a later time.
We want people to understand that going into unsafe buildings is very dangerous and could cost lives. Buildings like 62 to 70 Victoria Street are closed off because they are not safe, and going inside could cause serious injury or even death.
Parents and carers should make sure children and young people understand these risks. Safety fences and barriers are there to protect everyone and must not be moved, damaged, or ignored.